Child Care and Early Education Research Connections

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Librarians' Picks

Research Connections’ librarians have curated this page to include publications that may be of particular interest to child care and early education policymakers, professionals supporting the workforce, and researchers. The publications were selected because they align with federal priorities, seasonal priorities, current events, or national interest. Many of the highlighted publications have been featured in Research Connections newsletters.

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Age matters: Examining the cost and supply of care for infants and toddlers
February, 2020
This report focuses on the importance of analyzing the supply, cost, and revenue for each age group, and the supply and cost challenges unique to infants and toddlers. Policymakers can learn how to better understand these issues and apply strategies to close the gap between cost and revenue.
The 2007 Child Care Licensing Study: Final report
February, 2009
A report produced by the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC) and the National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA) provides a compilation of 2007 data from all 50 states on child care licensing programs and policies, and the regulation for child care…
Does child-care quality mediate associations between type of care and development?
October, 2013
Studies document that, on average, children cared for in centers, as compared to homes, have higher cognitive test scores but worse socioemotional and health outcomes. The authors assessed whether the quality of care received explains these associations. They considered multiple domains of child…
Children's attendance rates and quality of teacher-child interactions in at-risk preschool classrooms: Contribution to children's expressive language growth
December, 2011
This set of studies examines whether daily attendance in classrooms with high-quality teacher-child interactions is associated with increased rates of language growth among children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) homes. In Study 1 the sample consisted of 129 children enrolled in 14 public…
Head Start's comparative advantage: Myth or reality?
August 2010
The purpose of this study was to examine the comparative advantages of Head Start and State Pre-k programs for preparing young children for school. Using data from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the authors compare a high-quality Head Start program and a high-quality state-funded pre-K program in terms of…
Evaluation of the utility of the Revised Get Ready to Read! for Spanish-speaking English-language learners through differential item functioning analysis
September, 2015
Children who are Spanish-speaking English-language learners (ELLs) comprise a rapidly growing percentage of the population in U.S. schools. To determine which of these children have weaker emergent literacy skills and are in need of intervention, it is necessary to assess emergent literacy skills…
The nutritional contribution of foods and beverages provided by government-sponsored day care centers in Guatemala
September, 2015
Background: Meals served at government-run day care centers must be nutritionally adequate to ensure good health and proper development of preschool-aged children. They can provide a controlled opportunity to complement the daily diet of children in vulnerable populations. Objective: To determine…
Are higher subsidy payment rates and provider-friendly payment policies associated with child care quality?
February, 2018
This study uses data from the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) to examine the relationship between subsidy payment rates and policies and child care quality. This information can help researchers and policymakers understand how subsidy payment rates and policies can affect the…
Are mealtime best practice guidelines for child care centers associated with energy, vegetable, and fruit intake?
February, 2016
Background: Mealtime best practices for obesity prevention in child care have been developed from experimental studies and expert opinion. Our objective was to describe adherence to best practices in child care centers and to evaluate the association between mealtime practices and children's…
Two-year impact of a mindfulness-based program on preschoolers' self-regulation and academic performance
August, 2016
Students experienced a mindfulness program designed to enhance their self-regulation in prekindergarten and kindergarten. At the end of the 1st year of the program, these students showed improvements in teacher-reported executive function skills, specifically related to working memory and planning…